Professional Liability / Legal Malpractice for law firms
Protects your firm when a client alleges negligent legal advice, missed deadlines, or errors in representation.
Overview
Professional liability insurance, commonly known as legal malpractice insurance, covers claims arising from alleged errors, omissions, or negligent acts committed in the course of providing legal services. This includes missed statutes of limitations, conflicts of interest, drafting errors, inadequate discovery, and failure to know or apply the law correctly. Policies are written on a claims-made basis, meaning coverage applies to claims first reported during the active policy period regardless of when the underlying act occurred. Defense costs are typically included within the policy limit, so selecting adequate limits is critical to avoid eroding coverage during prolonged litigation.
Why it matters for law firms
Every attorney-client engagement creates exposure to a malpractice claim, regardless of how competent the work product is. Disgruntled clients, adverse outcomes, and communication breakdowns all generate claims. Many state bars and court systems now require proof of malpractice coverage or disclosure of its absence, making this coverage effectively mandatory for practicing attorneys.
Typical Limits
Solo practitioners commonly carry $250,000/$500,000 or $500,000/$1,000,000 per-claim/aggregate limits. Mid-size firms typically maintain $1,000,000/$3,000,000 or higher. Large firms handling high-value matters often secure $5,000,000 to $20,000,000 in coverage, sometimes layered across multiple carriers. Deductibles range from $2,500 for small firms to $100,000 or more for large operations.
Common questions about professional liability / legal malpractice
Review your professional liability / legal malpractice coverage
Find out if your current professional liability / legal malpractice meets best practices for your firm size and practice areas.